September 11, 2023 Hands-On Help: The Other Side of MacKenzie Scott’s Recent Early Childhood Ramp-Up September 11, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen In her early childhood giving this year, MacKenzie Scott is pairing advocacy with direct service funding, including support for programs that provide one-on-one, in-home maternal and infant healthcare.Read More
August 29, 2023 Righting the World: How Five Globally Bestselling Authors Give August 29, 2023/ Liz Longley While writers don’t often make it into the ranks of the very rich, these bestselling authors have engaged in some substantial philanthropy. Their giving varies widely, but they do share some interests in common.Read More
August 28, 2023 MacKenzie Scott’s Recent Giving for Early Education Spotlights the Power of Advocacy August 28, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Much of the celebrated megadonor’s recent giving has made its way to organizations promoting early childhood care and education. Many place their focus on advocacy, a strategy some other funders are hesitant to support.Read More
August 22, 2023 Recent Layoffs Raise Questions About the Future of Education Funding at CZI August 22, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a committed ed funder, just cut its education team by 30%. What do these layoffs mean for the philanthropy’s education support going forward?Read More
June 21, 2023 Facing Deep Regional Inequality, Silicon Valley Community Foundation Zeroes in on Early Childhood June 21, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Silicon Valley has pockets of deep poverty — and child care deserts — alongside areas of immense, tech-fueled wealth. SVCF’s Christine Thorsteinson details the foundation’s efforts boost access to quality early education.Read More
June 20, 2023 Inside a Media Funding Partnership to Get the Word Out about Early Childhood June 20, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Backing journalism can be a powerful way for philanthropy to raise the profile of critical but neglected issues like early childhood care and education. Here’s one new example out of Los Angeles. Read More
June 14, 2023 To Start Children on the Right Path, Funders Seek to Strengthen Earliest Relationships June 14, 2023/ Laurie Udesky There’s a growing body of research showing that early childhood bonds have a profound impact on development and wellbeing. Foundations are working together in an effort to bolster these critical relationships.Read More
May 24, 2023 “Rockstar Successful.” Why Early Ed Funders Are Backing This Unique Approach to Training Educators May 24, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen One thing holding back the American early childhood education system is a serious teacher shortage. EDvance is making the required education more accessible, drawing support from the Heising-Simons Foundation and others.Read More
May 11, 2023 An Audacious Effort to Transform the Foster Care System Gets a Big Funding Boost May 11, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Think of Us has a bold mission: to transform the foster care system from the ground up. The organization’s approach, which elevates those with lived experience, landed a major haul from The Audacious Project and others. Read More
April 06, 2023 How the Ballmers Aim to Build and Diversify the Early Ed Workforce in Washington State April 06, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen The foundation of this billionaire donor couple has made early childhood education a priority, most recently in an effort to strengthen the struggling early educator workforce through a mix of strategies. Read More
April 04, 2023 A Conversation With Sushma Raman, the New President and CEO of Heising-Simons Foundation April 04, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen This Bay Area funder moved $155 million last year for a mix of science, education, climate and more. We talked to the head of the foundation about her plans, the state of philanthropy, and what she likes to do in her free time.Read More
January 04, 2023 Backed by a Broad Swath of Patient Funders, Early Ed Advocates Scored a Major Win in New Mexico January 04, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen As support for early childhood education stalls in Washington, advocates and funders are focusing on the states. In New Mexico, a range of funders providing both 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) support contributed to a big win.Read More
December 07, 2022 To Advance Health Equity, a Big Hospital Gift Targets the Earliest Childhood Experiences December 07, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen Real estate investor John Schreiber and his wife Kathleen are long-time Chicago philanthropists. A recent $25 million gift underscores a more recent priority for the couple: early childhood, including conditions before birth.Read More
November 23, 2022 This Collaborative Fund Is Channeling a "Sea Change" in How America Views Care November 23, 2022/ Wendy Paris Established last year to build and promote care infrastructure, the CARE Fund has signed on numerous big-name grantmakers. Executive Director Anna Wadia is confident about changes she’s seeing in public discourse.Read More
November 01, 2022 Six Questions for Dr. Laura Gerald of Reynolds Trust, as it Reckons With its Past and Plans for the Future November 01, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen North Carolina’s Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust announced it is divesting from tobacco — and taking a frank look at its history and the source of its wealth. Dr. Laura Gerald unpacks the process and the result.Read More
October 27, 2022 How the American Indian College Fund is Strengthening Early Ed in Native Communities October 27, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen The Bezos Family Foundation is the latest funder to throw its support behind an effort to strengthen early education in Native American communities. The place-based approach emphasizes local strengths and traditions. Read More
July 26, 2022 This Major Anti-Poverty Collaborative is Doubling Down on Support for Early Childhood July 26, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen Blue Meridian’s big investment in HealthySteps demonstrates the funding collaborative’s commitment to early childhood and interventions that disrupt the intergenerational cycle of poverty.Read More
July 13, 2022 This U.N.-Created Fund Is Moving $1 Billion and Counting for Education During Times of Crisis July 13, 2022/ Liz Longley Education Cannot Wait is a U.N.-created fund with a mission to support children’s learning during times of crisis. Director Yasmin Sharif details how the organization works, and its plans for future philanthropic fundraising.Read More
June 23, 2022 Here's What We Know About a Walton Heir’s Zoma Foundation, a Big Supporter of Early Childhood June 23, 2022/ Michael Kavate This couple from America’s richest family are founders of a sizable but low-profile foundation. Here’s what we learned from a deep dive into their grantmaking on maternal health, early childhood development, and more.Read More
June 15, 2022 IP Briefing: What’s Going on With Philanthropy for Early Childhood Education? June 15, 2022/ IP Staff Early childhood education has gained more funding in recent years, but it still receives a small share of philanthropy compared to K-12. Our latest briefing gives you the key details. Read More